iI know you said no single user but your Goalgoal is to Keepkeep them linked so here's my Workaroundworkaround:
unlink only 1 in object data Panel.
unlink only one in object data panelapply the scale to this one.
apply the scale to this onelink the others to this in the object data panel.
link the others to it in the object data panel
itIt can be a Littlelittle bit of work in relation to the number of object that Shareslinked objects but it works. iI had 25 objects sharing the same data and it took only a few seconds to finish.